The Devil's Advocate by Ashley Jade

Author:Ashley Jade [Jade, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-25T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Cain

I realize my critical mistake the moment my palm connects with her cheekbone.

She’s innocent.

With all the rage building in my gut like a skyscraper, I’d forgotten Eden didn’t have access to her phone and couldn’t contact me to warn me even if she’d wanted to.

Because I sent her away.

And now she’s looking at me like I’m a monster…when she was only doing what I asked her to.

If I didn’t drive her to Damien’s dick before, this will certainly do it.

“Shit.” I kick a garbage can, sending it sailing into a stall. “Goddammit.”

“I couldn’t text you,” she states, pressing a hand to her skin. “I—”

“I’m sorry.” I rush over and gather her in my arms. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

Actually, I do. His name is Damien King.

She’s silent. Not even so much as a whimper or a cry escapes her.

This isn’t like Eden. She’s slipping farther away with every second that passes.

And it’s all Damien’s fault.

Panicked, I drop to my knees and nuzzle her stomach. “Please forgive me.”

Fear coils my insides when she doesn’t respond. I can’t live without her. I won’t. I’ll kill her before I ever let Damien, or any other man, destroy what’s mine. He doesn’t get my Eden.

“I need you to forgive me.” Frantically, I pull at the fabric of her dress. “I would never hurt you.”

“You just did,” she whispers.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I never wanted to tell her about my father or brother—I wanted her to believe I had the picture-perfect family, before it was sullied by tragedy—just like everyone else does.

But securing her sympathy is the only way to fix this.

Her eyebrows shoot up as I loosen my tie and unbutton my shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Sharing my biggest secret with you. A part of me I keep hidden from the world.”

I’ve never let anyone see these scars. Not since that night.

Her face twists in confusion when I slide her hand to my back. “What happened? Your skin…it almost feels like… burns.” Her eyes widen. “I thought you weren’t in the house fire?”

“I wasn’t.” I cradle her face. “They aren’t burns. They’re scars.”

“From what?”

“Belts, a few chairs, cigars. A cheese grater once.”

She looks horrified. “Oh, my God. Who did this to you? Why—”

“My father…and on occasion, my brother. It started when I was young, and it only got worse as I got older. As far as why—that’s something I’ll never know the answer to. Some people are just wired differently than us. They like to cause pain and suffering because they lost their humanity.” I breathe her in like air. “They have nothing to pull them back when it gets too dark.”

They have no Eden’s in their life.

Nothing that makes them feel like a savior.

No one who will love them unconditionally.

Her eyes become glassy. “I’m sorry you had to go through something so horrible—”

I shut her up with a kiss. I don’t want to talk about my family. I don’t want to relive my past.

Life is about moving forward.

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